THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER

by ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 4, 1982

A short allegory (for small minds) about a young manager's search for the one true management style--tendered by a corporate guru called the One Minute Manager. There are, coyly, three ""secrets"": One Minute Goals, One Minute Praising, and One Minute Reprimand. The most successful managers, we're shown, manage the least: they help their subordinates set up three to six major goals, with specific performance standards spelled out. Then they hover just long enough to make sure the employee is on the right track, whereupon they administer the One Minute Praising: feedback on what was done right; word of how that makes the manager ""feel"": encouragement to continue, etc. Thereafter the subordinate is left alone to administer self-congratulations--at least until a mistake occurs, whereupon the manager intervenes to deliver the One Minute Reprimand. This consists primarily in pointing out the undesirable behavior; again, letting the employee know how it makes the manager feel (angry, annoyed, or whatever); allowing the misery to sink in during a moment of silence; and offering reassurances that only the behavior is unacceptable--i.e., the individual is really worthwhile. Blanchard (Leadership and Organizational Behavior, U. of Massachusetts) has co-authored a textbook on organizational behavior; Johnson is a consultant in the medical communications field. Their dialogue is childish, to say the least (""'It sounds like there's a lot of caring and respect behind such a reprimand,' the young man said"")--but the capsule presentation of trendy managerial precepts may give this a certain corporate play.

Pub Date: Sept. 4, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1982

Categories: NONFICTION